The Cross

Beloved:

For the past couple months and I have been studying the life of Jesus through reading the gospels, reading a biography of Jesus' life by Charles Swindol, and doing a Beth Moore 90 day study about Jesus.  I have also started reading a book call "The Cross" by Martyn Lloyd-Jones.  The first thing I liked about Martyn is that he is British.  So when I read this book, I act like he is reading it in a British accent (I know a little weird, but just go with it).  Unfortunately, he past away in 1981 but he sure left a legacy of literature that evangelicals and use all over the world.  Another thing I like about this book is that His only reference is scripture, nothing else.  He encourages the absolute truth of the scriptures. 

From what I have read, which is only to page 68, I already have a better understanding of the purpose and ultimate foundation of the cross.  The symbol of Jesus' sacrifice through the cross should be the solid foundation of a Christian's life.  Think about it, the only way that we are saved and have the opportunity to spend an eternal life with Jesus is believing that Jesus took our place in dying for our sins.  Through this sacrificial act, he established the forgiveness of sins and made a bridge between the gap of man and God that had been separated since the fall of man.  Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection established order and presented a way of life that none of us could ever imagine.  A life beyond these earthly walls.  

Martyn goes on to accentuate the fact that we should glory in the cross.  Glory means to give high renown or honor, respect resulting in praise, worship and thanksgiving being offered to God.  His theme verse for the book is Galatians 6:14 "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."  This verse, by reading it, is hard to understand, but I'm not finished with the book yet!  So far it has challenged and encouraged my view of the cross.  I am reminded of the intensity and foundational relevance the cross should have in my life.  

I will leave you with a poem by C. Wesley called.....

"The Wondrous Cross"

Give me the faith which can remove

And sink the mountain to a plain;

Give me the childlike, praying love

Which longs to build Thy house again;

Thy love, let it my heart o'er power,

Let it my ransomed soul devour

I would the precious time redeem 

And longer live for this alone--

To spend and to be spent for them

Who have not yet my Savior known;

Fully on these my mission prove,

And only breathe, to breathe Thy love.

My talents, gifts and graces, Lord,

Into Thy blessed hands receive;

And let me live to preach Thy word,

And let me to Thy glory live;

My every sacred moment spend

In publishing the sinners' Friend

Enlarge, inflame and fill my heart

With boundless charity divine;

So shall I all my strength exert,

And love them with a zeal like Thine;

And lead them to Thine open side,

The sheep for whom their shepherd died.